Examples of determining tuberculation in a fluid distribution system are disclosed. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, an acoustical wave generator generates an acoustical wave within a fluid path of a fluid distribution system. A first acoustical sensor and a second acoustical sensor sense the acoustical wave. An acoustical signal analysis module determines an amount of tuberculation within the fluid distribution system by analyzing the sensed acoustical wave.

An apparatus for inspecting a well having nested multi-tubular structure, includes: an acoustic transducer conveyed in an inner-most tubular in the structure and configured to receive a return acoustic signal having a plurality of resonances due to the structure; an acoustic impedance matching material disposed on a sensing face of the acoustic transducer; a signal generator that generates a signal having a plurality of frequencies to drive the acoustic transducer; a signal shaper that modifies the signal to provide a drive signal to the acoustic transducer; and a processor configured to determine an annulus distance of any tubular in the structure with respect to an adjacent tubular using a time of flight of a transmitted acoustic signal, an acoustic speed in a component in the nested multi-tubular structure using the annulus distance and the plurality of resonances, and a characteristic of the component that corresponds with the acoustic speed.

The invention relates to a method for determining the degree of wear of at least one component of a machining device (10), wherein at least one actual condition (19) of the machining device (10) is established and the at least one actual condition (19) is compared to at least one comparative condition (18) of the machining device (10), and a conclusion is drawn as to the degree of wear of the at least one component as a function of a deviation determined between the at least one actual condition (19) and the at least one comparative condition (18), wherein, to establish the at least one actual condition (19) and/or the at least one comparative condition (18), sound emissions (16) of the machining device (10) are captured. The invention also relates to a device (13) for determining a degree of wear of at least one component of a machining device (10), a machining device (10) for machining workpieces (11), and a computer program for determining a degree of wear of at least one component of a machining device (10).

Resonator measurement system having at least MEMS and/or NEMS, comprising: an optomechanical device comprising at least one resonating element at at least one resonance frequency of fr and at least one optical element whose optical index is sensitive to the displacement of the resonating element, excitation circuitry of exciting the resonating element at least at one operating frequency of fm, injection device for injecting a light beam whose intensity is modulated at frequency f1=fm+Δf in the optomechanical device, a photodetection device configured measure the intensity of a light beam coming out of the optomechanical device, the intensity of the measurement beam having at least one component at frequency Δf.

The invention relates to novel processes for determining the quality of an uncrosslinked rubber mixture by means of ultrasound and to an apparatus suitable for this purpose.

Proactively identifying and interdicting transport of commodities associated with illicit nuclear materials and nuclear weapons shielded by high Z-number materials, such as lead, can help ensure effective nuclear nonproliferation. In an embodiment, a method for imaging an object on a surface includes exciting a surface with ultrasonic excitation from an ultrasonic transmitter having an ultrasonic transducer in contact with the surface. The method further includes imaging, at a processor, a two-dimensional representation of the object acoustically coupled to the surface based on the ultrasonic reflections received at an ultrasonic receiver via a receiving transducer in contact with the surface. This method can complement existing x-ray screening systems to increase the odds of detecting radiological materials.

Methods that provide wrinkle characterization and performance prediction for wrinkled composite structures using automated structural analysis. In accordance with some embodiments, the method combines the use of B-scan ultrasound data, automated optical measurement of wrinkles and geometry of cross-sections, and finite element analysis of wrinkled composite structure to provide the ability to assess the actual significance of a detected wrinkle relative to the intended performance of the structure. The disclosed method uses an ultrasonic inspection system that has been calibrated by correlating ultrasonic B-scan data acquired from reference standards with measurements of optical cross sections (e.g., micrographs) of those reference standards.

A system for semiconductor manufacturing that uses ultrasonic waves for estimating and monitoring a remaining service lifetime of a consumable element is provided. A consumable element comprises a front side arranged inside a process chamber and a back side, opposite the front side, arranged outside the process chamber. An ultrasonic transducer is arranged on the back side of the consumable element, and directed towards the front side of the consumable element. A monitoring unit is configured to estimate and monitor a remaining service lifetime of the consumable element using the ultrasonic transducer. A method for estimating and monitoring the remaining service lifetime of the consumable element using ultrasonic waves is also provided.

Aspects provide for in-situ monitoring of a structure, such as a portion of an in-operation vehicle, by a patch and controller by transmitting, at a first time, a first signal from a first transceiver of a plurality of transceivers in contact with the structure; receiving the first signal carried in the structure at a second transceiver of the plurality of transceivers at a known distance from the first transceiver; determining a baseline signal characteristic of the first signal as received at the second transceiver; transmitting, at a second time, a second signal from the first transceiver; receiving the second signal carried in the structure at the second transceiver; determining a diagnostic signal characteristic of the second signal as received at the second transceiver; and in response to determining that a difference between the baseline signal characteristic and the diagnostic signal characteristic exceeds a threshold, generating an alert.

A method of processing a signal is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a signal obtained from measuring a structure under a given set of environmental and/or operational conditions, the signal comprising a set of amplitude values which depend on position in the signal and adjusting the amplitude value each of at least two of the amplitude values independently according to the position of the amplitude value in the signal and according to the given environmental and/or operational conditions.